Box-opener.



P. LIBONATI.

BOX OPENER. APPLIOATION FILED NOV.26,1912.

1,090,316. Patented Mar. 17, 1914.

INVENTORZ ya Home WITNESSES: I 4.

PHILIP LIBONATI, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

BOX-OPENER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed November 26, 1912.

Patented Mar. 17, 191.41.

Serial No. 733,660.

To all whom it may concern:

lie it known that I, PHILIP IJTBONATI, a citizen of the United States, residing at New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Box-Openers, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to box openers, and is designed more particularly for the purpose of lifting the lid of a box of shoe polish so that the lid may be readily removed by hand.

The boxes containing shoe polish are generally fitted with a practically air-tight cover, the purpose being to prevent evaporation or deterioration of the contents of the box. These lids are tightly fitted to the boxes and can not be readily removed by hand, without being first loosened or lifted.

One of the principal objects of my invention is to provide reliable and ellicient means for lifting or starting the cover at two points of contact upon one side of the cover.

Another object of the invention is to provide inexpensive means pivotally connected to the box for loosening the cover, said means lying close to the box, and entirely out of the way when not required for use, and which can be quickly operated for loosening the cover.

These and other objects may be attained by means of the construction illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a box of the usual construction designed for containing shoe polish, said box having pivotally connected thereto an opener made in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same showing the opener in full lines in position for packing and shipping, and when not required for use, and in dotted lines showing the lid lifted slightly from the box by the opener. Fig. 3 is a sectional plan view of the opener pivoted to a portion of the box. Fig. is a detail perspective view of one of the members of the opener.

Referring to the drawing the numeral 1 designates the box designed for containing shoe polish, 2 is the cover for said box. As usually constructed the covers for these boxes are provided with an outwardly extending flange 3, but it will be understood that: my opener may be used for lifting a lid provided with a plain unl'langed edge.

The opener comprises two members or levers -:l-, said levers being pivoted upon a pin or stud 5 extending through holes 6 in the members 4-. The upper ends of the members t are each provided with a curved or rounded bearing portion 7; extended beyond said bearing portion is a lip 8. At the opposite ends the members 1 are each provided with an outwardly extending fingerhold t).

It will be seen upon reference to Fig. 3, that the members i may be curved to conform to the contour of the box.

The operation of my invention may be readily understood from the foregoing.

\Vhen the members 1 are in the position shown in Fig. 1 the finger-holds 9 are ongaged by the thumb and finger, and pressed together to the position shown in Fig. 2, the rounded bearing portions 7 riding freely under the cover for lifting the same and bearing at two separate points against said cover.

From the foregoing it will be obvious that my invention is of simple construction, can be manufactured at low cost, is reliable and clficient in operation, and can be connected to any form of box requiring ext 'aneous means for loosening or lifting the cover.

I claim:

A box opener comprising two lovers having enlarged and flattened portions pivotally connected to the body of the box underneath the cover, said levers being curved to conform to the contour of the box, said levers each having a rounded bearing portion to engage the lower edge of the box cover and a lip extending beyond the bearing portion to engage the outer edge of the flange of the box cover, said levers each having an outwardly projecting finger-hold.

In testimony whereof I have allixed my signature in presence of two witnesses.

PHILIP LIBONATI. lVitnesses JoHN L. Fnn'ronnn, li Luieann'r E. DILLER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Iatents, Washington, D. G." 

